This I Believe

Are you someone who lives life in the shadow of others, or are you a person who isn’t scared to standout and live life to the fullest. I am from a school where conformity is at large. Everyone wants to be like everyone else. People in this age are more concerned about what others think of them, rather than what they think about themselves. It is important to be your own person because one day the people you count on won’t be there anymore and you will have to part your own way. One of my favorite quotes is, “Live life to the fullest.” I think it is very important to go through your day like every day is going to be your last, because you never know when it could all end. I think it is key to enjoy every day to it’s fullest and have fun no matter what you’re doing. If you’re worrying what others think about you, your days will be wasted worrying and contemplating. Being unsure of yourself just shows a weakness. The people who see an outgoing attitude will also be drawn towards you.

As an elementary and middle school student I was somewhat conformed. I was quieter and followed what my friends usually did. Once I started high school I began breaking out of my shell. I started to be a more outgoing, charismatic person. I cared less of what everyone else thought of me, and more of what I thought of myself. The better you feel about yourself, the more positive you’ll be towards everything you do in your daily life. Being yourself is what is most important and that is the main ingredient in giving yourself character. No matter what your goals, if you have a good attitude and believe in yourself, you can accomplish anything.

At my high school the people I see conforming are the people that are fake, and care too much what others think of them. If you go through your life going along with all your friends there is no way you will accomplish anything. By being yourself you are stepping out of the box and parting from conformity and all the other things that pull you into the box. As long as you are okay with the person you are, you will have the confidence to do anything. I am my own person because I dress how I want to dress, and I don’t worry what others are going to think of me. I know if they are sincere they will not judge me by how I look, but they will judge me by my personality. I act goofy and random which makes me my own person. Some people think I’m weird, but the friends I have, I know are true and sincerely care. As long as I am true to myself I know I can succeed in whatever the world puts in front of me.

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Top 100 Essays USB Drive

This USB drive contains 100 of the top This I Believe audio broadcasts of the last ten years, plus some favorites from Edward R. Murrow's radio series of the 1950s. It's perfect for personal or classroom use! Click here to learn more.

This week’s essay

Growing up in the former Yugoslavia, lawyer Djenita Pasic enjoyed the peace of her religiously diverse country. But after the fall of communism and the outbreak of the Bosnian War, Pasic was forced to reevaluate her ideas about religion and tolerance. Click here to read her essay.